1. Field of the Invention:
The popularity and proliferation of video cassette recorders (VCR's) over the last few years has brought about many changes in the marketing of movies and video tape copies thereof. One recent innovation is the subsidization of the relatively high price of a video tape of a recent hit movie by advertising companies who add a commercial to the tape so that the consumer must view the commercial each time the tape is viewed.
Since every VCR has a fast-forward mode of operation, and it is not uncommon for a consumer who has purchased one of these subsidized tapes to fast-forward through the commercial segment, which is usually at the beginning of the tape, thus defeating the advertiser's attempt to force the consumer to watch the commercial each time the tape is played.
2. Background of the Prior Art:
We are aware of no prior art which discloses a function similar to that provided by the instant invention.